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It’s a Wonderful Life (With Capitalism)

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In 2012, TFAS released a short film exploring a world where capitalism no longer exists. The fictional YouTube video, titledIt’s a Wonderful Life (with Capitalism), follows a young activist, played by actor John Crowley, as he falls prey to an angel bent on earning a better set of wings.

The purpose of the video was to educate young adults about the benefits of capitalism by drawing a sharp contrast between today’s world and a world where luxuries, such as iPhones and Xboxes, and simple pleasures like cereal and shampoo were never invented.

More than 158,000 people have viewed the video, and many bloggers and news media reposted it, resulting in enthusiastic online discussions and debates on the pros and cons of capitalism.

One blogger, Joe Carter of the Acton Institute, called the video “superb” and stated that “the video not only shows what life would be like if we banned free enterprise (i.e., a lot like Soviet Russia) but also makes the point that when you lose economic freedom you lose other freedoms, too. As the angel says, ‘When you take away the carrot, all you’re left with is the stick.’”